Weight for weft-replenishing-loom thread holders



June 24, 1930'. H. v. FOSTER 1,766,894

' WEIGHT FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM THREAD HOLDERS Filed Dec. 20, 1928Patented June 24, 193%) UNITED STATS PTNT FICE HERBERT V. FOSTER, OFPROVIDENCE, B I-IODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO OBOMPTOH & KNOVVLE$ LOOM"WORKS, OF WORCESTER, MASSAGHUSETTS A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTSWEIGHT FOR WEFT-REPLENISHING-LOOIW THREAD HOLDER-S Application filed.December 20, 1928. Serial No. 327,438.

This invention relates to an improved form of weight to be used for theweft threads of weft replenishing looms and it is the general object ofthe invention to provide a weight easily applied to the weft threads.

In weft replenishing looms particularly of the multicolor type there area number of weft threads extending fromtlie reserve bob-- bins whichshould be kept taut to insure best operation for the loom. threadholders make use of weights which are attached to the weft ends and itis an important object of my present invention to provide a weightedelement for a magazine, the element being readily attachable to a weftend by a single operation on the part of the user. It is highlydesirable that the weaver be able to apply the weights quickly and alsosecurely, the weight preferably being manipulated by one hand and thethread with the other and it is a further object of my invention toprovide a weight which can be thus operated.

With these and other objects. in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings wherein a convenient embodiment of myinvention is v 7 set forth,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a weft r'eplen ishing mechanism showing-weft ends pro vided with my improved weight,

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a portion of the thread holder toillustrate the manner in which the thread holder may be held innon-clamping position to permit my improved weights to tension the weftthreads,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section through one of my weights, and aFig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which a weftthread may be applied to the weight.

As shown in Fig. 1 there is a magazine M from which extend a pluralityof weft threads V from the reserve bobbins not shown. These threads mayextend between the coils of a spring 10substantially of the form shownin co-pending application Ser.

Certain forms of No. 326,057 'filed'by Tinsley. Said spring may beanchored with respect to the magazine by means of a stationary collar 11mount ed on a fixed rod 12. A manually operated spring controller 13 isslidably mounted on the rod 12 and is operatively connected to the lefthand endof the spring asviewed in Fig. 1. A latch 14 may be used toengage a portion of the controller 13 to hold the same in springexpanding posit-ion as shown :in Fig. 2. I w

The matter thus far described forms no part of my present invention-andis set forth to showthe conditions under which my improved form ofweight may be used. In the operation of the magazine the bobbinsdescend, thus causing slackness on the part of the weft threads NV. ThecontrollerlS will be periodically moved to the left to separate thecoils of the spring 10, thus freeing the weft ends from the clampingaction of the coils. lVhen this happens it is desirable to have someagency operative to tension the weft threads to take up their-slack andit is a the lower end thereof. A tube or sleeve 22.

surrounds the rod and is freely slidable on the latter, being urgedupwardly by a spring 23 interposed between the head 21 and the lower endof the sleeve 22. Upward movement of the sleeve with respect to the rodis limited by means of a stop 2% which may be securedto the rod in anyapproved manher as by means of a pm 25. Any other form of stop may beemployed,but it is desirable that the stop present a lower surface 26which will cooperate with upper surface 27 of the. sleeve 22 to pinch aweft end;

Themanner of using -my invention is set forth in Fig. 4: where it Wlllbe seen that the rounded head 21 maybe located in the palm of one handwhile the fingers move the sleeve down against the action of spring 23,thus separating the surfaces 26 and 27. The weft end WV may then bepassed under the stop 24 and the sleeve released, whereupon the spring23 will move the surface 27 against the weft to clamp the latter againstthe surface 26. The weft end may then be passed down over the spring tobe located between adjacent coils when the latter are spaced. From theforegoing it will be seen that I have provided a very simple form ofweight which can be readily attached to a weft end, said weft comprisinga pair of thread clamping surfaces which are forced together by aresilient device, the whole being so construct ed that it can beoperated by one hand leaving the other hand free for the manipulation ofthe weft thread. It will also be seen that the lower portion of the head21 is rounded so that should the heads be of different elevations in themagazine the higher weights will be. able to move downwardly withoutbeing held up by adjacent weights.

Having thus described my invention it will be seen that changes andmodifications may be made therein by those skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention and I do not wishto. be limited to the details herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

A weighted thread tensioning element for a weft replenishing loom havingweft ends, said element comprising a rod, a stop located at the upperendthereof, a sleeve slidably mounted on the rod, a head formed on thelower end of the rod, and a compression spring interposed between thehead on the rod and the lower end of the sleeve and acting to move thesleeve against the stop to clamp a weft end, said sleeve being yieldableto move away from the stop to release a weft end, the lower portion ofsaid head being rounded to facilitate movement of the same with respectto adjoining weighted elements. In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

HERBERT V. FOSTER.

